Third Lesson
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: 510 AU. Justin is hurt in the bombing at Babylon instead of Michael.


**Title: **Third Lesson  
><strong>Rating:<strong> T  
><strong>Pairing(s):<strong> Brian/Justin  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> None  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
><strong>Word Count: <strong>1,328  
><strong>Summary: <strong>510 AU. Justin is hurt in the bombing at Babylon instead of Michael.  
><strong>Note: <strong>I don't know much about hospital procedures so just go with it.

* * *

><p>"Justin!" Brian screams as he runs into the rubble of what had once been Babylon. He looks from side to side, aching to see a familiar head of blond hair. He comes upon Michael and Emmett. "Where is he?" He grabs Emmett's arm, uncaring of the bruises he might be leaving.<p>

"Brian?" Michael asks.

"Justin? Where is he? Have you seen him?" He shakes Emmett, trying to knock some sense into him.

"Brian, stop it," Michael says. "We haven't seen him. Maybe he got out?"

Brian glares. "If he got out, would I be in here? His mom is out there, and she knows he's still inside. You haven't seen him?"

Both of them shake their heads.

Brian leaves them. Both of them seem relatively unharmed, and Brian has more important things to contend with. "Justin! Justin!" He CONTINUES screaming, hoping for an answering yell.

He goes deeper into the rubble. He sees bodies, some moving and some unmoving. He sees a shock of dirty blond hair attached to a person he knows is dead, and for a breathless minute, he fears the worst. When there's a nearby spark that illuminates the area, Brian is able to see it's not Justin, but another blond.

He doesn't feel guilt at the relief that suffocates him. He eyes search for the person he needs, the person he loves above all else, not including his son. To think Justin might be gone, and he'll never know how deeply Brian feels about him. The pain engulfs his heart at the very thought.

"Justin!" he yells with all of his might.

"Brian?" The voice is weak, but it's music to his ears.

He frantically searches and finds Justin trapped underneath some rubble. One of the pieces looks like a beam. Brian hurries over and lifts the debris off of him. He attempts to move the beam, but it's too heavy. Justin tries to help, but he's weakened.

There's no way they can do it themselves. Brian looks for anyone. A gigantic bear who's struggling with a girl, deposits the girl with another person, and then moves swiftly over to them. "Need some help?"

Brian wants to sarcastically retort, 'What do you think?' He bites his tongue, though. "Please."

Together, he and the bear lift the beam. Justin is able to scoot from under it, and the rubble comes crashing down when he's cleared.

Brian kneels. He doesn't bother asking if Justin can stand. There's no way he'll be able to walk. He makes Justin hold onto his neck, and the bear kneels, supporting Justin's WEIGHT from the other side.

Together, the three of them make it out of the horror.

Jennifer comes rushing up to them.

All Brian says is four words, and it starts a flurry of activity. "We need an ambulance."

Brian paces the waiting room, hoping to hear something about Justin. At the very least, the blond had been coherent and able to communicate in the ruins of Babylon. Unfortunately, they don't know how serious his injuries really are or how much smoke he breathed in. With his ASTHMA, even a small amount of smoke inhalation can be deadly.

Jennifer sits with Tucker. Her cheeks are wet, and her boyfriend does his best to comfort her. Justin might not like Tucker, but Brian is thankful that Jennifer seems to have found a good man that will take care of her.

The Liberty Avenue family trickles in, and Brian shakes his head, silently telling them there hasn't been any word, yet.

Michael comes over and it's like the weeks of animosity has disappeared. He lays a soft hand on Brian's shoulder, and Brian just wants to buckle and lean on his best friend once again. "I never wanted to be back at a hospital, waiting to hear about Justin. Never again," Brian says quietly.

"I know." Michael doesn't offer any false platitudes, and that's something Brian's thankful for. He doesn't want any false reassurances, not until he knows how Justin is.

After what feels like hours upon hours of waiting, the DOCTOR comes out. "Justin Taylor?"

Everyone hurriedly stands up, eagerly wanting any kind of news.

The DOCTOR clears his throat. "I'm sorry. Family only."

Jennifer takes Brian's hand. "I'm his mother, and all of these people are his family. Please, tell us, how is he?"

The doctor looks as if he wants to argue about everyone being family, but thankfully for him, he decides to just go with it. "His legs were crushed by falling debris. He'll be paralyzed for awhile and will need a wheelchair to get around."

"Is it permanent?" Brian asks the question that everyone fears the answer to.

"There were no injuries to his spine, so he should heal with no complications."

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

"What about his head? His asthma?"

"He got a bit of a bump on the head, but it wasn't in the place of the old BRAIN injury. We looked it over, but it doesn't seem to have any lasting effects. His asthma did flare up a bit, but we got it under control. We want to keep him under observation for two or three days. It's just to be on the safe side, though. We're not expecting any complications."

"Can we see him?" Jennifer asks.

The doctor nods. "He needs to take it easy though, so only two at a time."

Jennifer doesn't even ask. She just pulls Brian behind her, not that he's complaining.

Justin is sitting up when they enter. Jennifer rushes over, enveloping her son in a hug. Brian stays silent in the background, letting Justin and Jennifer have their mother and son time.

Brian can tell Justin is putting on a brave face so he doesn't alarm his mother. He can also tell how reluctant Jennifer is to leave, but like Brian, she knows Justin well enough to know he wants her to go, even if it's only to talk to Brian alone.

When Jennifer passes, she lightly squeezes his arm.

Brian moves forward and nonchalantly says, "I still don't know how it got to the point where Mother Taylor actually likes me."

Justin's laugh is short. "Yeah, who would have thought?"

Their levity is short-lived. "So, how are you really?"

Justin looks at his lap, his eyes trained on the legs that will be useless for awhile. "Tired, but relieved."

Brian's eyebrows shoot up, not having expected that response. "Relieved? Really?"

Justin meets Brian's eyes, nodding. "My legs will heal. And frankly, if I had to choose a body part to be useless, I rather it be my legs. I'll miss dancing of course, but I'm just grateful it wasn't my hands. I'm not sure I could have gone through something like that again."

Brian shuddering breath catches in his chest. "I can understand that." He moves forward to sit on the bed, taking Justin's hand. "I've never been so scared, except maybe prom. Until I saw you alive, even if you were in pain, I don't think..." He trails off, suddenly at a loss for words.

Justin's hand lightly rests on Brian's leg. "It's okay. I understand."

"It reminded me of how short life truly is. I thought I learned my lesson after prom. And then after the cancer. But I guess I needed a third lesson."

"Brian?"

"Justin, if anything were to happen to one of us, I would never want you to doubt...to not know...that I love you. I love you so much."

Justin's eyes are wet. "I always knew that. Don't you remember? I'm onto you."

Brian leans forward, claiming Justin's lips in a chaste kiss, mindful that he has had problems with his asthma that night. "I want to be with you," he whispers.

Justin nods, resting his forehead against Brian's. "We'll figure it out, Brian. We always figure it out."

"Good." He holds Justin's hand and silently vows to never let go of it. Not now. Not ever.


End file.
